Everyone who grows up in Ioannina, Greece knows something about rowing.  They are either rowers themselves or have family members involved in rowing because Ioannina is an ideal city for rowers.  It is situated on the banks of Lake Pamvotis which literally invites you to take on the challenge of rowing.  This is where my story - my passion for rowing and engineering - begins.

You may wonder how these 2 very different activities are linked.  Actually, they are very much intertwined.  Being on a successful rowing team means the members of it must act in tandem with one another, much like a perfectly constructed machine.  Rowing is a joint effort and each member of that crew needs to be in sync with the other members. I am in the stroke position, a crucial position because it is he who determines the stroke for all rowers and the course of the race. If the machine is not working properly, it can lead to dangerous outcomes.  I experienced this at the 2022 National Championships in Athens.   I was in the stroke position of an 8 man crew.  The waves on this particular day were quite intense.  About half-way through the course, my oar got sucked in the waves.  Without hesitation, I quickly pulled the oar back into place but we had gone from first place to third place in just a matter of seconds.   I planned out my strategy and my crew members followed my instructions.  We were able to make up for the lost time and finished first.

Rowing is a sport that demands intense training.  There is no better time of day than early in the morning to not only capture the beauty of nature but to immerse yourself in a strict training routine.  It is during these trainings that I am able to see on a daily basis the ongoing destruction of our environment.  Rowing has played a role in my interest to study environmental engineering because it is important for me to row in a clean lake with fresh air. I take part in other sports activities -cycling, hiking, spear fishing - and the environmental problem is visible everywhere.  I do not want action just on a local level but on a global level and not just for rowers but for all of mankind.  I want to join forces with others who believe that we can find sustainable solutions to solving the ecological catastrophe. Rising temperatures, the state of our seas and oceans, pollution, vast forest fires – the problems are immense.  People need to take ownership of what is in their backyard, develop and protect it.  It needs to be a team effort because we are all affected by the environment.  In this way slowly more communities will join the effort and work toward a cleaner, healthier earth. 

I have experienced success as a rower because I realized the importance of team work early on.  I am a member of the Greek National Team and I have competed in World, European and Balkan Championships. Had I not learned how to work on a team, my success rate would not have been so high. This is what makes rowing so special.  Each rower is dependent on the other.  It’s as if we are one and the same person striving for the same outcome.  It’s a sport that requires discipline, concentration and stamina.  It obliges you to sacrifice many things but in the end it is worth it.  The feeling of accomplishment transcends all other feelings.  Knowing that a positive outcome has come from all the hard work makes it all worthwhile.

This feeling of accomplishment is what I want to achieve at your university in academics and in rowing.  I know how to achieve my goals.  I would be honored if given the opportunity to prove my skills within your university and become a member of your successful student body.